By anubis4567 (Via Forbes)
microsoft
Via Xbox Wire
Xbox Wire has released some early usage stats, and Xbox One users have chalked up an impressive fifty million hours of play time since launch. I tip my hat to you, Xboners. But seriously, take a break once in a while.
Via Joystiq
Titanfall will launch solely on Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC, and won't ever come to PS4, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said.
All you who like to walk on the less-than-legal side of video gaming might want to think twice before you upgrade your OS.
Technology site Alphr found something in the recently-released Windows 10 user agreement that gives Microsoft license to shut down pirated software.
Section 7b – or "Updates to the Services or Software, and Changes to These Terms" – of Microsoft's Services EULA stipulates that it "may automatically check your version of the software and download software update or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorised hardware peripheral devices."
The list of services covered by the agreement doesn't explicitly include Windows 10. However, it does include your Microsoft account, which is an extensive part of the Windows 10 experience, as well as core features like Cortana – and that implies Redmond can disable any games you've pirated or devices you've "unlawfully" hacked. Enable Cortana (which pretty-much everyone using Windows 10 is going to do) and you're subject to the Services agreement.
Pirated gaming has long been a plague on the PC side of things, obvs, and many companies have tried various tactics to stop the steady drop of games leaking onto torrenting sites and resources leaking out of developer/publisher pockets. It makes sense that the company with the largest overarching control on PC gaming would be the ones to try and make a stand.
However, the whole thing is very close to the digital rights management policy that Microsoft included when it first announced the Xbox One in 2013.
This might be the most successful way of stopping pirating, but it seems a little invasive and weird.
Plus, it's pretty ironic that it'll be Cortana that rats on your illegal gaming. Who knew Master Chief's BFF was such a tattler?
As of January 14th, Windows 7 has been officially discontinued by Microsoft. After 11 years of service, memers and tech geeks alike are mourning the loss of the trusty operating system - although we suspect they're more excited about all the meme-ing than they are sad about the actual loss.
On the bright side of all of this, Windows 10 upgrades are free for us, so we've got that going for us, which is nice.
Via Major Nelson
A World of Keflings will be free for Xbox Live Gold members starting November 1st, followed by Iron Brigade on November 16th.
He announced the departure via Twitter and added that he's "not yet ready to say what that new thing is… But OMG is writing code very [sic] day and exploring ideas fun!" His Twitter bio states his current project is "independent secret stuff."
Via The Verge
There have been some developments from Microsoft, since yesterday when we shared news of a woman winning $10,000 after suing the company for its 'shady upgrade system.'
Specifically, Microsoft told The Verge that it’s tinkered more with the upgrade prompt due to “feedback that some of our valued customers found it confusing.” The new prompt, coming out this week, will have “clear options to upgrade now, schedule a time, or decline the free offer.”
Your last chance for a free upgrade is July 29th, after that it'll cost you $119.
Via Neogaf
Microsoft is giving away free copies of Killer Instinct to some loyal consumers. Did you get one? If you didn't and are wondering why, the answer is unclear. Xbox says they "considered a variety of things like Gamerscore, LIVE tenure, & other factors in markets where #XboxOne is available."
Could this be the future of gaming?
RoomAlive is a proof-of-concept prototype that transforms any room into an immersive, augmented entertainment experience. Our system enables new interactive projection mapping experiences that dynamically adapts content to any room. Users can touch, shoot, stomp, dodge and steer projected content that seamlessly co-exists with their existing physical environment. The basic building blocks of RoomAlive are projector-depth camera units, which can be combined through a scalable, distributed framework. The projector-depth camera units are individually auto-calibrating, self-localizing, and create a unified model of the room with no user intervention. We investigate the design space of gaming experiences that are possible with RoomAlive and explore methods for dynamically mapping content based on room layout and user position. Finally we showcase four experience prototypes that demonstrate the novel interactive experiences that are possible with RoomAlive and discuss the design challenges of adapting any game to any room.
